Movable doll&#39;s hand



Jan. 8, 1963 1. w. SCHWARTZ 3,071,893

MOVABLE DOLL'S HAND Filed Oct. 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

I? I4- SCI/449 972 BY #44444 9 M Jan. 8, 1963 Filed Oct. 13, 1959 w.SCHWARTZ 3,071,893

MOVABLE DOLL'S HAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

A714 14 SC #14448 72 United States Patent Ofiicc 3,071,893 Patented Jan.8, 1963 MOVABLE DOLLS HAND Ira W. Schwartz, New York, N .Y., assignor toSayco Doll Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 13, 1959,Ser. No. 846,179 Claims. (Cl. 46-163) by a young child, permit thelatter to grasp objects with such dolls hand and as readily releasesuchobjects.

According to the inventiomthese objects are accomplished by'the'arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and'moreparticularly recited in the claims. 7 I

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown one or more of variouspossible embodiments of the sev- 'eral features of the" invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a doll,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of' a dolls handaccording to one embodiment of theinvention, with parts broken away,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the actuating mechanism of FIGS. 2 and3,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of theinvention,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5, p

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of theinvention,

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of FIG. 7, and

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4,the doll 11 may be of any suitable type having a body 12 which desirablyis of molded flexible plastic. a

The forearms 13 of the doll are also of molded flexible plastic, as arethe hands 14, both' said forearms and said hands desirably being hollow,as shown in FIG. 3, and of relatively thick stock so that they willretain their shape.

To facilitate assembly, the dolls hand 14 is desirably formed as aseparate unit and is releasably connected to the forearm 13 atsubstantially the wrist port-ion 16, the thickness of the stock of theforearm and the hand and their relative rigidity ensuring a secureconnection therebetween. 1

As shown in FIG. 3, the thumb 17 of the hand is separate from the otherfingers, the forefinger 18 and the adjacent two fingers 19 and 21preferably forming a single hollow cavity.

Positioned inthe hand and extending into the forear is the actuatingmechanism for the fingers.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, this mechanism comprises two arms 22 and 23,each illustratively of sheet metal stock, pivotally' connected adjacentone of their ends, as at 24.

More particularly, the arm 22 has a handle portion 25 with a portion 26at one end extending at substantially right angles thereto, said portion26 having a relatively wide jaw- 27 extending laterally outward from theend thereof and curved toward the plane of the handle portion 25.

The arm 23 also has a handle portion 28 complementary to handle portion25 and a portion 29 at one end of width less than that of the portion 26of arm 22 so that it will pass freely through an aperture in saidportion 26. The portion 29 has a relatively narrow jaw 31 extendinglaterally outward therefrom substantially parallel to the jaw 27.

Resilient means are provided reacting against the handle portions 25, 28of the arm normally to urge the jaws 27, 31 apart. Although any suitablemeans may be used for this purpose, as illustratively shown a leafspring 33 is provided bent substantially into a U and secured at itsends as at 34 to the opposed surfaces of the handle portions of thearms.

In assembling the unit, the narrow jaw 31 is positioned in the thumb ofthe hand and the wide jaw 27 is positioned in the cavity defined by theforefinger 18 and adjacent fingers 19 and 21.

By reason of the spring 33, the handle portions 25 and 28 will be spreadapart to move the jaws 27, 31 apart and by reason of the resilience ofthe material from which the hand is formed the thumb and the fingerswill also be spaced apart. v

With the hand and the associated actuating mechanism connected to theforearm as previously described, the handle portions 25 and 28 of thearms will extend in the forearm 13 adjacent the opposed wall surfacesthereof, the handle portions desirably being curved as at 35 to conformto the curvature of the forearm.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in which elementscorresponding to those in FIGS. 1 to 4 have the same reference numeralsprimed, the forearms 13' and hands 14 are also of molded flexibleplastic but formed in one piece.

Positioned in the hand 14' and forearm 13' is the actuating mechanismfor the fingers.

' As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this mechanism comprises a length of springwire. 41 reversely bent at one end as at 42 to define two spacedsubstantially parallel handle portions 25' and 28. The ends of saidhandle portions are bent in opposite directions to cross overas at 43and define curved jaws 27' and 31' which normally are urged toward eachother by reason of the resiliency of the spring wire 41.

The jaw 31 extends in the thumb 17' of the hand and the jaw 27' has alateral extension 44 at its end and is positioned in the cavity definedby the forefinger 18' and adjacent fingers 19 and 21'.

By reason of the resilience of the spring wire 41 the handle portionswill be spread apart to move the jaws 27' and 31 together, and by reasonof the resilience of the material from which the hand is formed thethumb and the fingers will be pressed tightly together.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the actuating mechanismcomprises two arms 51, 52, each illustratively of sheet metal stockpivotally connected adjacent one of their ends as at 53.

More particularly, the arm 51 has a handle portion 54 at one end and arelatively wide curved jaw 55 at the other end, the portion of the arm51 between the handle portion 54 and jaw portion 55 being curved intosubstantially U-shape as at 56.

The arm 52 also has a handle portion 57 at one end complementary tohandle portion 54 and a relatively narrow jaw portion 58 at the otherend, the portion of the arm 52 between the handle portion 57 and jawportion 53 also being curved into substantially U-shape as at 59.

The U-shaped portions 5'6, 59 of arms 51, 52 are designed to abut asshown and each of the abutting surfaces has a pair of parallel slots 61through which a U-shape retainer 62 extends, the ends of the legs of theretainer being bent outwardly as shown at 63 to pivot the arms looselytogether.

The jaws 5'5, 58 are normally urged together as by a leaf spring 64 bentsubstantially in a U and secured 3 at its ends as at 65 in suitableslots 66 in the handle portions 55, 57.

In assembling the unit, the narrow jaw 58 is positioned in the thumb ofthe hand and the wide jaw is positioned in the cavity defined by theforefinger 18 and adjacent fingers 19 and 21.

By reason of the spring 64 the handle portions 54, 57 will be spreadapart to move the jaws 55, 58 together and by reason of the resilienceof the material from which the hand is formed, the thumb and fingerswill also be moved together.

The movable hands of all embodiments may readily be operated by a childto pick up objects.

With respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, in which the jaws 27 and31 are normally spaced, the child need merely position the hand so thatthe spaced fingers and thumb straddle the object, and exert pressure onthe forearms to move the jaws together so that the object will besecurely gripped between the thumb and the fingers.

With respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 and the embodiment ofFIGS. 7 to 9 in which the jaws 27, 31' and 55, 58 are normally closed,the child need merely exert pressure on the forearm to space the jawsand then straddle the object with the fingers and thumb and releasepressure on the forearm so that the jaws will move together securely togrip the object between the finger and the thumb,

By reason of the simplicity of the actuating mechanism, it is not likelyto become damaged even with long use or rough handling of the doll bythe child.

Although the actuating mechanism has been illustratively described asmade substantially from sheet metal or rod stock, it is of course to beunderstood that any suitable rigid plastic could be used.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions and manyapparently Widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An article of manufacture, a movable dolls hand comprising a handportion of resilient deformable material having fingers and a thumbextending over said fingers, a pair of movable rigid jaws positionedrespectively in said fingers and said thumb and engaging said fingersand thumb respectively, a forearm portion of resilient deformablematerial connected to said hand portion, said jaws each having a portionintegral therewith extending longitudinally into said forearm portion,said forearm portion when compressed and released causing saidlongitudinally extending portions to effect movement of said jaws towardand away from each other correspondingly to move the thumb and thefingers of said hand portion.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which means are providednormally to maintain said jaws in spaced relation.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which means are providednormally to maintain said jaws in closed relation.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of rigid arms isprovided pivotally connected adjacent one of their ends, the portions ofsaid arms on one side of the pivot defining said longitudinallyextending portions and constituting handle portions and the portions ofsaid arms on the other side of said pivot defining said jaws andresilient means reacting against said handle portions normally to movethe latter apart and to retain the jaws in spaced relation.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of rigid arms isprovided pivotally connected adjacent one of their ends, the portions ofsaid arms on one side of the pivot defining said longitudinallyextending portions and constituting handle portions and the portions ofsaid arms on the other side of said pivot defining said jaws, resilientmeans reacting against said handle portions normally to move the latterapart and to retain the jaws in spaced relation, said handle portionsnormally positioned adjacent opposed wall surfaces of said forearmportion, whereby upon pressure applied to said forearm the handleportions will be moved together against the tension of said resilientmeans to move the jaws and the thumb and fingers together.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said thumb and saidfingers are hollow to receive said respective jaws.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a length of spring wireis provided, reversely bent to define a pair of spaced substantiallyparallel handle portions constituting said longitudinally extendingportions, the ends of said handle portions being bent in oppositedirections to cross each other and to define said jaws, the resiliencyof said spring wire normally urging said jaws together.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which the jaw positioned insaid fingers has a lateral extension at the end thereof.

9. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of rigid arms isprovided pivotally connected adjacent one of their ends, the portions ofsaid arms on one side of the pivot defining said longitudinallyextending portions and constituting handle portions and the portions ofsaid arms on the other side of said pivot defining said jaws, andresilient means reacting against said handle portions normally to movethe latter apart and move the jaws together.

10. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of rigid armsis provided, each arm having a U-shaped bend between its ends, meansextending through said U-shaped bends pivotally to connect said arms,the portions of said arms on one side of the pivot defining saidlongitudinally extending portions and constituting handle portions andthe portions of said arms on the other side of said pivot defining saidjaws, and resilient means reacting against said handle portions normallyto move the latter apart and to retain the jaws in closed relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS849,588 West Apr. 9, 1907 1,553,551 Reese Sept. 15, 1925 1,782,163 CookNov. 18, 1930 2,429,866 Broste Oct. 28, 1947 2,733,545 Guadagna Feb. 7,1956 2,884,739 Ketcham May 5, 1959

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A MOVABLE DOLL''S HAND COMPRISING A HANDPORTION OF RESILIENT DEFORMABLE MATERIAL HAVING FINGERS AND A THUMBEXTENDING OVER SAID FINGERS, A PAIR OF MOVABLE RIGID JAWS POSITIONEDRESPECTIVELY IN SAID FINGERS AND SAID THUMB AND ENGAGING SAID FINGERSAND THUMB RESPECTIVELY, A FOREARM PORTION OF RESILIENT DEFORMABLEMATERIAL CONNECTED TO SAID HAND PORTION, SAID JAWS EACH HAVING A PORTIONINTEGRAL THEREWITH EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY INTO SAID FOREARM PORTION,SAID FOREARM PORTION WHEN COMPRESSED AND RELEASED CAUSING SAIDLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTIONS TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF SAID JAWS TOWARDAND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER CORRESPONDINGLY TO MOVE THE THUMB AND THEFINGERS OF SAID HAND PORTION.